Multi-Award-Winning Voiceover Talent Credits Alabama A&M for Sparking His Passion

Craig Mitchell, a proud 2013 Alabama A&M University marketing graduate, has emerged as a leading voiceover artist, recently earning the coveted Grand Clio Award for his work on the “Driving While Black” (DWB Auto) campaign. The campaign, which won the highest honor at the Clio Awards, used the concept of a new car model to highlight the tragic realities of racial profiling on the road.

The St. Loius native says his journey into voiceover work began during his early career at Steve Stoute’s agency, Translation LLC. As a young account executive working with the NBA, he was asked to record a script for an NBA pitch video. “To my surprise, every chief marketing officer in the league loved it,” says Mitchell. 

“My actual first booked and paid voiceover gig was for a State Farm Insurance commercial featuring Damian Lillard,” says Mitchell. “It got a lot of play on ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and the brand's social media.”

As an advertising executive, he helped manage the NBA’s “This Is Why We Play” (2015-2017) and the Brooklyn Nets “We Go Hard” campaigns. Since then, his career has taken off. In addition to his voiceover work, Mitchell is also an actor, event host and entrepreneur. Mitchell founded CM Effect LLC, an independent creative and talent agency, and Melodies NYC, a New York-based music community.

Mitchell’s voice has been featured in a wide array of high-profile projects, including narrating Roc Nation's “Hov Did That" for “The Book of Hov” exhibit for Jay-Z at the Brooklyn Public Library.

Last year, Mitchell was named one of the newest voices of Budweiser. He’s also voiced Nike’s NBA 75th Anniversary campaign, Budweiser’s “Six Degrees of Bud,” which aired during the 2023 NBA Finals and the 2023 Super Bowl, and worked with the NFL on CBS.

“I also voiced Google’s recruitment video that onboarded 156,000 new employees and Footlocker House of Hoops’ love letter to basketball called during the pandemic,” adds Mitchell.

His career has put him in collaboration with A-list celebrities like DJ Khaled, Steph Curry, Cardi B, and Antonio Brown. He's also earned several awards including the Grand Clio Award for Experience Activation (2024); Cannes Lion (Silver, Metaverse & Emerging Tech); Webby Awards (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion); Shorty Awards (Gold, Art Direction); D&AD Graphite Pencil (Entertainment/AR), and more. 

Most recently, Mitchell served as the announcer for the 2024 Mosaic Awards in New York, where he had the chance to meet A&M senior Joseph T. Tilaye, who received the first-evet $10,000 AAF Mosaic Center Scholarship.

Mitchell credits Alabama A&M University for sparking his passion for marketing and all aspects of his career. Active in the SGA, Gamma Phi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and other student organizations, Mitchell honed his skills hosting events across campus. Looking ahead, he is excited about several new projects, including his role as the voice of ACC Football for the 2024 season. He’s also returning to his AAMU roots with a nostalgic DJ set concert, “Honor The Era: Welcome Back Bulldog Party,” at the VBC Mars Music Hall Homecoming Weekend.

“I hope to inspire and mentor others,” he said. “That includes widening the pipeline between AAMU business and marketing students and advertising agencies so they can see the other side and find their spot.”